By admin 
First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom kicked off the school year the California State Railroad Museum with students and state officials by celebrating California’s commitment to help fourth graders explore California State Parks.
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The news conference spotlighted California’s Free Fourth Grade Pass. Established in 2021, it provides free entry for fourth graders and their families at 54 state parks. The pass is called the “4th Grade Pass — 2026/27 School Year” on the website ReserveCalifornia.com, where it must be ordered.
“As our administration moves into its final chapter, which makes me want to cry,” Siebel Newsom said as her eyes filled with tears, “this is the legacy I’m most proud of.”
The pass program is part of the Outdoors for All Initiative, a state program led by the first partner, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Natural Resources Agency to enable all Californians, regardless of ZIP code or income, to access parks and open spaces.
“The fourth-grade pass reflects that commitment — the belief that every child, regardless of where they live or their family’s circumstances, should have the opportunity to experience California’s extraordinary natural and cultural places,” said John Fraser, capital district superintendent at California State Parks.
Siebel Newsom called fourth grade a formative time, noting that her youngest son will enter fifth grade in a week. It is a period, she said, when children begin to learn about the people, places and events that shaped their communities and their state.
“There is no better classroom … for that kind of learning than one of the 54 state parks available with the free fourth-grade pass,” she said.
The first partner said the Free Fourth Grade Pass and other programs under the Outdoors for All Initiative help produce environmental stewards, which are needed amid “the many crises in our country right now.”
In the 2026-27 state budget, Siebel Newsom noted, the California State Library Parks Pass secured ongoing funding to make the program permanent. In a nod to the U.S. president, she said no one — including Donald Trump — can eliminate it.
Siebel Newsom was joined by Armando Quintero, director of the California Department of Parks and Recreation, during the event.
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Quintero described parks as classrooms without walls. Beyond providing learning opportunities, he said, these open spaces offer mental and physical health benefits while allowing visitors to build connections with nature and one another.
Quintero called the governor and first partner “incredible supporters” of California’s state parks, estimating that their projects have expanded access to many thousands of people. The Free Fourth Grade Pass alone, he said, has accumulated more than 100,000 downloads over the life of the program.
Like Siebel Newsom, Quintero highlighted the California State Library Parks Pass program, which allows library-card holders to check out a free day-use pass for their vehicle to visit a state park. It is the most checked-out item in libraries across the state, he said.
He also mentioned the Historian Passport, which provides unlimited entry to more than 30 state historic parks and museums. While offered for free during a month-long promotional period, he said, it amassed 300,000 downloads.
Along with Quintero, California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot voiced his support for the fourth grade program.
Crowfoot said he feels very grateful to raise a family in California, home to the largest state park system in the U.S. at 280 parks. At the same time, he recognized that millions of California families have not visited these parks due to lack of awareness or barriers to access such as entry fees. The park pass program intends to address those barriers, Crowfoot said.
The CNRA secretary said his own family downloaded the free pass a few years ago, when his daughter entered fourth grade.
“State parks are one of the best things about living in California, and now they’re available to all fourth graders and their families,” he said.
Siebel Newsom reemphasized the importance of the program for the state’s youth.
“Once they have the opportunity to explore, to fall down, to get back up and discover who they really are, they build a connection that lasts a lifetime,” she said, “and that is exactly what we want for every California child.”
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This story was originally published August 12, 2026 at 3:45 PM.